Best longrange 22-250 load and bullet

I am looking for a real good long range 22-250 load. I am currently using 55gr ballistic tips at 3800fps with groups below .5moa. I have found some nosler competition bullets with a bc of .440 and I know this will beat the wind a lot better and have less drop. My problem is that my barrel twist is 1-12 and I have heard that you need 1-7 or 1-8 for these bullets. If anyone has some ideas for shooting these bullets in my current gun I would love to hear them. I am going to try 36.0 gr of imr4831 with a velocity of 3050. Any help would be appreciated.

You are very limited to your bullet choices. If you can borrow a few, try and use as heavy as possible. There is chance you can get away with the 60 to 69gr bullets. That would be a huge improvement beyond 500yds.

Have had decent performance out of the 64gr. Berger J4's in the past. Believe I was using H380, but not completely sure. If you're interested in more info, pm me and I'll send it to you in the next day or so.

Lerch, Judging from Freebore's experience with the Swift and his 1 in 12 twist barrel, then it is certainly worth trying the 69 grain Sierra's, but from my experience and also of many others, your chances of success are slim.

About 20 years ago, when the Hornady 68 and Sierra 69 HPBT's were released I built up a rifle with a Shilen 27 inch 1 in 12 twist barrel. Despite achieving about 3650 fps with these bullets, they would not stabilise, and keyholed into the target.

I am currently using the 69 grain Sierra's in a 22/250AI, in a 1 in 10 twist barrel, and they shoot sub 0.5 moa, with a variety of powders at velocities ranging from 3350 - 3430 fps.

The Nosler competition bullets with a bc of .440 which you mention, are the Nosler 80 grain HPBT, and I would be simply amazed if your 1 in 12 twist barrel could stabilise them.

I suggest that you certainly try the 69 grain Sierra, but if it doesn't work, then continue with the 55 grain BT's until the barrel is worn out. Then rebarrel with a 1 in 8 twist barrel, so that you can try your Nosler 80 grain bullets, and also give the 75 Amax a try as Jerry Teo suggests. Regards, Brian.

I have a 788 rebarrelled with a 1 in 9" douglas XX that will shoot sub .3" groups with IMR4350 (by far and away the most popular powder with the 68s and 69s as stated by hornady and sierra reps and others I know) when I do my part. Both the 68s and 69s work great in 9 and 10 twist barrels, though I have to seat the 68s to the lands due to the lower drag design. The 69 SMKs are a touch more accurate though. Tell you what, my loads are not hot, yet very accurate. I have shot hundreds of rounds through that douglas barrel and it is yet to loose accuracy. I was going to rebarrel and make it into a 6 dasher or 6BR, but I just can't convince myself to spend the money considering the accuracy of my rifle.

OK, enough about me and now to help you with your problem. Go with JLK or Berger bullets in your 12 twist that weigh up to 64 grains. Go to the berger web site and see what bullets they recommend for the 12 twist. Starting out I would use a LTB design, and if you are an experienced loader and know how to seat TO the lands and not IN the lands go with a berger VLD or a JLK brand bullet (JLKs are not bergers). Try RL15, varget, and H380 with CCI BR2 primers. If you can afford it, go with norma brass, if not go with winchester and sort. Stay away from remington brass in 22-250. Terrible brass from the 2 lots I have bought, and I am not the only one that has experienced this though in other calibers RP brass has been fine.

I shot the 80gr noslers this weekend and they definantly will not stabilize in my barrel, went through the paper sideways. I am thinking about trying th 69gr bullets. Looking for soemthing to shot from 500 to 1000yds with. The 55gr bt I think are tumbling at 1000 and I am not getting very good accuracy at that range. If anyone has any load info about the 69gr I would love to hear it.